Chester Grade School opened its doors to the public to present Larry Baldwin, John A. Birchler, and Linda Egge as the newest members of the Teacher Hall of Fame on August 12th. The Hall of Fame is an honor earned by former employees who have made outstanding contributions to the Chester community. It is intended to permanently recognize individuals who have demonstrated exceptional service to students, staff, and the broader community. This year, three former teachers were nominated by former teachers, students, parents, and community members to become part of the Teacher Hall of Fame.
The first inductee was Mr. Larry Baldwin, a CGS Junior High English teacher. Baldwin began his teaching career in 1968, following his graduation from SIU Carbondale. He retired at the end of the 2000 school year. Throughout his time at CGS, he taught Language Arts, Reading, Spelling, and Writing. With his focus on the English program, he started a program called Writing is Necessary. This was open to all students attending CGS who were interested in reading, writing, creating essays, or writing poems. He also sponsored the Junior Beta Club and served as Chairman of the Elks Hoop Shoot.
In 1993, Baldwin wrote a book titled Children of the Flood, which focused on Chester and the experiences the community had during the floods. His nomination was based on the positive effects he had on students’ personal and educational lives.
The second inductee was Mr. John Birchler, a CGS/CHS Band and Choral Director. He started his Chester teaching career in 1988 and continued until moving on to Gibault High School after the 2014 school year. Throughout his teaching career, he was also known as “Mr. B” or The Music Man. After graduating from SIU-C, he decided he wanted to become a professional baseball player, but ultimately focused on a music career.
Birchler taught Marching and Concert band, The Rhythm Rascals (Jazz Band), Choraleers (Swing Choir), and CGS band and choir. He was involved in Music Appreciation, gave private lessons, monitored a large study hall, directed the Chester Municipal Band (in the summer), owned and directed The John Birchler Orchestra, and coached CHS Freshman and JV Baseball.
His nomination was based on his mentorship and how he felt like a father figure to many of his students. Birchler passed away on December 23, 2024.
The third and final inductee was Mrs. Linda Egge, an English and PE teacher at Chester High School. Egge grew up in the Chester community, attending St. John Lutheran School and Chester High School. She continued her education at Concordia Teacher’s College in Nebraska. Not only did she receive a Bachelor of Science degree, but she also earned a Master’s degree in Education from SIU-E and another Master’s degree in Library and Information Science from the University of Illinois.
She began her teaching career in 1971 and retired in 2004. She taught English and PE and also served as the School Librarian and Technology Coordinator for the district. Mrs. Egge was involved in sponsoring Cheerleading, National Honor Society, and the Senior Class. She also served as President of the Chester Education Association and was a member of Phi Delta Kappa, a professional educators association.
Her nomination was based on how fun her classes were and the respect she showed to each student.